Study Finds Tai Chi Reduces Inflammation in Cancer Survivors

New research from UCLA Health has revealed that tai chi and cognitive behavioral therapy can effectively reduce the risk of insomnia in breast cancer survivors. They also reduce inflammation and enhance the body’s anti-viral defences. Cancer survivors usually experience some symptoms like chronic insomnia. It increases the risk of many health complications such as inflammatory disease. It also increases the risk of cancer recurrence. About 30% of breast cancer survivors experience insomnia. This rate is very high as it is twice the rate of the general population. Tai chi and cognitive behavioural therapy can effectively treat insomnia. However, their effectiveness in reversing insomnia-induced inflammation is still less understood.  

This study was recently published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. In this study, researchers involved 90 breast cancer survivors. They divided them into two groups such as the tai chi group and the cognitive behavioral therapy group. These participants were asked to attend tai chi sessions or cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. Researchers mainly wanted to understand the effectiveness of these two therapies for insomnia. Then they collected their blood samples and analyzed changes in inflammation biomarkers.  

When researchers observed the collected data, they found that tai chi effectively reduced inflammation as compared to cognitive behavioral therapy. On the other hand, people in the cognitive behavioral therapy group had higher anti-viral gene transcripts. It enhanced their body’s defense against infections. 

One of the researchers said that insomnia treatment has potent immune system impacts. Tai chi reduces inflammation more effectively as compared to cognitive behavioral therapy. But this therapy improves antiviral viral immunity. Hence there is a need for further research to understand the combined benefits of tai chi and cognitive behavioral therapy. This is very important for cancer survivors as they are at higher risk of inflammatory disorders and infectious diseases.  

This study has some limitations because it is only focused on older, white and highly educated people. Hence there is a need for further research. But healthcare professionals should suggest tai chi and cognitive behavioral therapy for those cancer survivors who are having inflammatory disorders or infectious diseases.